Day Of The Dead, or El Dia De Los Muertos – is quite a happy one!
The Day Of The Dead.
This day occurs on the second of November each year, and I was lucky to witness one in La Paz, in Bolivia’s capital, back in 2007. In fact, I accidentally stumbled into that year’s Day Of The Dead, as I was walking around the steep streets of the highest capital city in the world, and I was wondering why the La Paz cemetery was full of people.
I asked one of the locals in Spanish, and he said to me ‘es El Dia de Los Muertos‘. It was the Day Of The Dead.
Since my Spanish wasn’t that good at that point in time, I thought he meant ‘Everyone dies today’. As far as I knew, I didn’t think the Apocalypse was occurring. Then I realised there was loads of flower stalls and people buying flowers and other momentos and trinkets, and it clicked he had meant it was the annual festival of All Souls Day, or the Day Of The Dead.
When some dies in Latin America, they are usually buried in the traditional Western way, or placed in a crypt. Within 10 years, the body is then retreived and cremated. Once this happens, the family purchases or rents a ‘space’ with a glass window where the ashes are kept. Relatives can then place flowers and other momentos behind the glass frame for eternity.
You can learn more at Wikipedia about the Day Of The Dead.
Day Of The Dead Photos
Check out this photo I took from the La Paz cemetery showing these ‘spaces’. It’s like a high rise apartment block for cremated people.
The whole place was packed with people for the entire day. Relatives had set up barbeques next to their loved ones’ crypts, headstones or ‘spaces’, and the whole family sat around and had lunch with their ancestors. Those who had a musical inclination had brought in their guitars to sing the favourite songs of their deceased relatives.
However, there was nothing morbid about these acts. The Day Of The Dead was more like a big party in a cemetery, rather than anything sad. It was a celebration of a person’s life, all done respectfully.
In western culture, death sometimes is viewed as a taboo subject. No one seems to be that comfortable talking about it, even though death is pretty much the only guarantee related to life.
But it’s not a taboo subject in other parts of the world. In fact, quite the opposite. Death is openly celebrated.
When I walked through the La Paz cemetery, I thought to myself – this is a fantastic way to celebrate someone’s life!
More Day Of The Dead Stuff
You can read more at Day of the Dead Crafts: More than 24 Projects that Celebrate Dia de los Muertos, and The Days of the Dead: Mexico’s Festival of Communion with the Departed.
Other things to do in South America – have ‘Coffee With Legs‘, or eat half a cow.
If you’re anywhere in South America on November 2, check out the local cemetery and see how people celebrate the Day Of The Dead. It’s worth the experience!
Wonderful pictures TT! Living in Los Angeles before I was familiar with the Day of the Dead holiday, as about half to population of the city celebrated it one way or another, but I myself never took part. Really cool to see (and read) about a place where it is taken quite seriously.
I agree with you, we in the west seem to put a lot of focus on fear of death. All the countries I visit, it seems like the people who are enjoying kife the most are those not overly anxious about the concept of death.
We definitely have a skewed view on death. As sad as is it, their life should be celebrated.